Absolutely swooned my way through this story. The buildup of tension was perfect. it wasn’t rushed, it wasn’t forced, it just worked. By the time they finally admitted their feelings, I was cheering like they were my best friends. Heartwarming and addictive.

Toni Darbyshire is in Scotland presenting at an academic conference when she finds out that her deceased grifter father has one last surprise for her – he managed to get her mother to sign for a lien against her house. Toni was hoping to be able to sell the house to afford her mother's memory care home.

Disheartened by this last act from a father she could never count on, and hoping against hope that her literary agent best friend can sell the novel she wrote as a break from her dissertation, Toni is very open to an encounter with a beautiful women dressed in a Victorian nightie (and Victorian appropriate undies).

Addie has been cyber stalking Toni as Toni makes Victorian history accessible for her, and she desperately wants a part in a stage play (aside – I would go see the play as described, it sounds really good!) to launch her acting career. Following Toni into a bar dressed in a Victorian nightie seems like a really great way to possibly get to know her....

Okay, I loved this book. Melissa Marr touches on a bunch of my favorite tropes, and while she also does one of my least favorite things (“just TALK to each other” I hiss at the book as I keep reading), in this particular book, it actually makes sense, so she's forgiven for that.

I was also touched by Marr's descriptions of Toni's mother – I watched my mom go through dementia as well and many things had me nodding my head. (Luckily, I never had a shoe thrown at me, although I did have to take away her knitting needles.)

Compulsively readable and recommended for adults as it's pretty spicy.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was really excited about the premise of this book—the blend of academia, publishing, and a reality-blurring romance had so much potential. I went in expecting sharp tension, layered emotions, and a whirlwind of media-fueled drama. While there were moments that held my attention, I found myself struggling to stay fully engaged.

I did enjoy the dynamic between Toni and Addie—their shared history and the unexpected viral wedding set up an intriguing premise. But for me, the execution didn’t quite deliver. The writing often told rather than showed, which made it hard to feel immersed in their emotions or the complexity of their relationship. I wanted to experience their pressure, confusion, and connection firsthand, but everything was presented a bit too plainly.

Pacing was also an issue—some parts dragged, while others skimmed over scenes that could’ve added depth. I loved the concept of Toni navigating the publishing world and Addie chasing her big break, but their individual arcs felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more.

While I didn’t dislike the book entirely, it ultimately didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Melissa Marr delivers a charming sapphic romance with a dash of Victorian flair, Hollywood drama, and just enough spice to keep the pages turning.

The Premise:
When Victorian history professor–turned–bestselling novelist Toni Darbyshire meets aspiring actress Addie in a bar in Edinburgh, sparks fly fast. What should have been a single unforgettable night turns into more when Toni names her heroine after Addie—and then fate (or casting) throws them back together a year later on the set of Toni’s book-to-TV adaptation. Between costume fittings, on-screen chemistry, and a fake Victorian wedding that goes unexpectedly viral, the line between publicity stunt and real feelings blurs fast. But with Toni’s deep-rooted relationship fears and both women keeping secrets, a happily-ever-after is far from guaranteed.

What Worked:

Sizzling first encounter: That opening scene? Electric. It set the tone for their chemistry beautifully.

Unique setting & flavor: Victorian speech, period costumes, and quirky historical touches gave the romance a distinctive, niche charm.

Queer rep: Marr gives space for Addie’s journey as a newly out lesbian discovering her demisexual identity, and Toni’s perspective as a more seasoned queer woman navigating her own traumas.

Strong narration: Gail Shalan and Stephanie Németh-Parker brought both POVs vividly to life, balancing heat, humor, and heart.

What Fell Short for Me:

The fake marriage setup felt more forced than organic, with the plot contrivance pulling me out of the story.

Miscommunication overload: Too many withheld truths and lack of transparency created repetitive tension rather than building emotional payoff.

Missing swoon factor: The romance had heat, but I wanted more tenderness and emotional spark to make me root harder for them.

Humor hit-or-miss: Some comedic beats didn’t quite land, especially in quieter moments that could’ve deepened the connection instead.

Tone & Audience:
This is very much for a specific romance reader—someone who loves period-dress whimsy, behind-the-scenes TV drama, and a mix of sweet-and-spicy sapphic chemistry. It’s also worth noting the heavier themes: homophobia, emotional trauma, mental illness, and grief are woven into the romance.

Tropes & Themes:

Slight age gap (27 x 32)

Commitment-phobe x relationship-oriented

“Good Girl” dynamic

Actress x writer

Grumpy x sunshine

Friends with benefits

PR stunt gone rogue / fake marriage

Insta-lust

Victorian costuming & speech

Cute but feisty cat companion

Queer rep: WLW x WLW (demisexual heroine)

CW: severe homophobia, attempted assault, death of a family member (off-page), mental illness

Final Thoughts:
While the romance didn’t sweep me completely off my feet, Toni and Addie Go Viral still offers a fresh take in the sapphic romance space. For readers who love niche historical humor blended with contemporary queer romance and don’t mind a bit of contrived setup for the sake of fun tropes, this could be a delight.

This was a beautifully big-hearted, deeply emotional, Sapphic, dual POV actress-author romance that has demisexual newbie queer virgin, Addie falling hard for Victorian history professor turned bestselling writer, Toni that slowly turns into something more after a year of email exchanges and a couple of hot hookups that go viral when their fake wedding is rumored to be real.

I absolutely LOVED this!! Both the FMCs are messy, layered and relatable. There's excellent ADHD and mental health rep plus a side character with Alzheimer's. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Meryl Wilsner or Mae Marvel. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This was a chaotic, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt sapphic romance that kept me hooked even while I wanted to shake the characters by the shoulders and call my therapist.

Toni and Addie have chemistry for days, but wow do they test your patience with their lack of communication. Addie’s journey as a newly-out demisexual woman was beautifully done, and Toni… well, she drove me nuts, but I still adore her and want to read her book LIKE NOW.

The spice was surprisingly good. Their emotional baggage wouldn’t have fit through the baggage claim at the airport yet somehow, even when I was frustrated, I couldn’t stop reading. It’s not the soft, tidy sapphic romance you might expect but it was the first one I have read that felt real.

I’d happily read whatever Marr writes in this universe next.

A hot new author and her lead actress are caught in a secret wedding... but is it real? Turns out they both met a year ago and hooked up... only for said author to pen a book about the actress and they share an email pen pal relationship... but despite this "friends with benefits" situation things get complicated when feelings enter. I have to say, this book was such a frustrating read for me. The characters felt so immature and I did not see the connection at all. They had zero chemistry and the actual pacing of the story and their relationship ups and downs just felt boring. It was a bit of a struggle to get to the end but I can honestly say I feel so proud of myself for forcing myself to actually finish this book. This one just was a miss for me despite how promising the premise was. If you want a queer romance with two people who love to get in their own way and have a ton of mis-commnunication, then this is for you.

Release Date: August 12, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for this ARC!

This was sweet and fun! I did enjoy it. I felt the conflict a bit contrived at times - I liked the writing, but I felt as if I was being told instead of shown during conflict and this made it a bit clunky. Other than that though, super cute and a lot of fun!

While I liked the description of “When Tori and Addie Go Viral”, I just didn't fully get into this book. I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The miscommunication was a lot to get past, and the story just felt long and drawn out. There were moments that kept me interested, and I liked the dynamic between Toni and Addie. Their history and the unexpected viral wedding made for an intriguing setup, but the execution fell flat for me. I did like that it was a dual POV romance. It always helps to have both perspectives of the MCs so you can really understand why they feel the way that they do about the other person. I loved the cat in the book. Oscar Wilde was such a cute add. I particularly enjoyed the journey of the newly-out Addie and her journey of demisexuality and what sex even means. I really enjoyed the spicy scenes and thought they were well-written. I do hope Melissa Marr does write more sapphic fiction, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. Thanks to Melissa Marr, Tor Publishing and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

"Anyone who thought dating women was easier than dating men hadn't ever dealt with an angry woman."

When Toni and Addie meet for the first time, sparks fly. Maybe its because Addie is wearing a sheer Victorian nightgown or maybe its the thrill of meeting a stranger in a bar in Edinburgh. Whatever the deciding factor, the two of them have a steamy encounter and then go their merry way... except Toni can't get Addie out of her head and decides to name a character after her in her debut novel. When Addie lands a role in the tv adaption and comes face-to-face with Toni a year later, both need to decide whether their meeting was a short fling or destined for something more, but there's one problem: Toni doesn't believe in relationships.

"Damn it. I'm in love with a fool."

This story was really cute but definitely appeals to a very niche audience, as it combines elements of Victorian humor and a fast burn romance plot. Their encounters were sweet & spicy at the same time, and I loved how Addie came to embrace her newfound sexuality, both as a newly out lesbian while discovering her sexual desires as a demisexual.

"It was her super power. Worry. Self-doubt. Anxiety."

The parts that got a little frustrating where the moments the two didn't spend together, which were often filled with miscommunication and an overall lack of transparency of their mutual feelings. Their two characters seem to be constantly battling between not wanting to enter a committed relationship while also feeling strongly possessive of the other woman.

I was awaiting the key point of the fake marriage but have to say it felt a little forced to me. Without going into spoilers, I did not see the need for the circumstance which put the two FMCs into the situation of fake marrying each other. The two of them also kept a lot of secrets from each other for the majority of the book which does not lend towards a healthy lasting relationship.

"If it looked like a closet even because of dubious lighting, squinting, and the like, Toni wanted no part of it."

Overall, I was missing a little bit of a spark (make me swoon!) and the humor did not always land for me, but I think this book can be excellent for the right audience as it discusses a lot of deeper topics, such as homophobia, emotional trauma, taking care of a mentally unwell family member.

"Women who looked like Addie could pass for straight in a pinch, could escape danger or crude remarks. Not that Toni wanted to pass, but every so often Toni thought it would be nice to live in a world where she did not get disdainful looks because of how she was born."

This was sweet and a bit all over the place at first. Addie and Toni are both likable in their own ways and I loved their dynamic. This made me smile and even though it felt like a rush ending in a way, I’m still glad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the ARC!

Addie is an actress who has a crush on Victorian history professor Toni Darbyshire. She attends one of Toni’s seminars and catches her attention. This leads to a hook-up, which is a first for Addie. Fast forward a year and Toni has published a best selling novel that is going to be made into a series. And Addie is auditioning for the lead role. And it is a cute twist Toni named the character for Addie. The set up is there. But the year jump skips a lot. The pair have been exchanging emails but most of which aren’t on the page. And Toni is emotionally not available. She has her own reasons, but she doesn’t want to be in love or in a relationship at all.

Addie is adorable as the ingenue figuring out her demi self. She wears her heart on her sleeve but Toni is a tough nut to crack. But in the meantime they are willing to be friends with benefits as long as feelings are not attached. The intimate scenes are well written. But the push pull of the pair becomes redundant. Why does Addie push for more when Toni clearly says she doesn’t want a relationship. Honestly, other than the spice I wasn’t that invested in the relationship. Having to be together or not because of social media and public perception went on too long. The book wraps it all up nicely but I wasn’t convinced this was a relationship that was going to last forever. There are some interesting historical details and several lines that I liked and highlighted. (3.5 Stars)

I was drawn in by the premise—academia, publishing, and a reality-blurring romance sounded like a perfect mix—but the execution didn’t quite land for me. While the dynamic between Toni and Addie, especially their viral wedding and shared history, had promise, the storytelling often told rather than showed. I struggled to connect emotionally because the writing lacked depth and immersive detail.

The pacing also felt uneven—some parts dragged, while others glossed over key moments. Toni’s role in the publishing world and Addie’s creative pursuits were intriguing in concept, but both arcs felt underdeveloped.

There were sparks of potential, and I didn’t dislike the book entirely, but it ultimately left little lasting impact.

Toni and Addie is a thoughtful romance with two unique characters. They are both well developed and consistent. Their backstories were well thought out and it reflected. Demi readers will appreciate the thoughtfulness of the spice. I was surprised by how long it took to get to the titular moment, but I found myself appreciating how their relationship progressed before it got to that point.
Overall, a cute romance I will be recommending.

All opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Bramble for the ARC!

This sweet sapphic romance was lovely!

For the purposes of this review, I will call the two FMCs by their names (Addie and Toni) for clarity. Addie was so much more emotionally put together than Toni. A couple of times I wanted to shake Toni for her wrong-headedness and bad, embedded thoughts; but we all know how realistic that can be—people really do get those sorts of wrong ideas and struggle to overcome them. That’s realistic character building right there.

The plotting was solid and I loved seeing the character growth throughout the book, especially Toni’s. I was rooting for these two to get together and work it out! The spice was probably about one-to-two chili peppers and I enjoyed the spicy scenes a bunch.

The resolution was very satisfying. I will recommend this to patrons who enjoy relationship fiction and especially those looking for lesbian relationship stories.

Give me a sapphic second-chance romance any day, but I was especially eager to read Toni and Addie Go Viral when I realized it was set in the publishing and academia realms. Unfortunately, the pacing drags, filling space with unnecessary scenes that are all tell and very little show. A large amount of trimming in the first 20% could have kept readers focused on the initial meeting between these characters, allowing us to EXPERIENCE the long-distance yearning that occurs. The emails are too quick, too short to convey that desperation, though Addie's niavete definitely steals the show (in the worst way).

Thank you to Netgalley, Melissa Marr, and Tor / Bramble for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read This Book If…you’ve had an emotional unavailable ex!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Toni and Addie Go Viral by Melissa Marr

Genre: Queer romance
Spice Level: 4/5🌶, 3-4 explicit scenes
Setting: LA and DC
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: friends with benefits, fake marriage, virgin, one bed, role play, “good girl”
Content Warning: extreme homophobia and attempted assault of a character

My Thoughts:
Overall, I believe these two are Happy For Now and not Happily Ever After. Here’s why…

There was zero character growth until the 90% mark. While they did make an effort, they are fundamentally incompatible. The cycles of self sabotage and keeping secrets got repetitive before the main event even happened.

HOWEVER, I still enjoyed this read! Toni and Addie were interesting characters with plenty going on in their lives outside of the romance. I loved getting to see their relationship develop before the titular viral moment and how they both reacted.

I particularly enjoyed the journey of the newly-out Addie and her journey of demisexuality and what sex even means. I really enjoyed the spicy scenes and thought they were well-written.

Again, I enjoyed this read, but you will be screaming at the characters to just talk it out multiple times!

Memorable Quote: “I’ve let myself think this is some big romance, but maybe I was just…convenient?”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

DNF. Was excited to read this, but I think the writing style is not for me. As an employee at a small independent bookstore we will unfortunately likely not be able to carry this for the sake of space.

Two people who want really different things out of relationships meet and just can't resist each other. We see this general plot in romance novels a lot and for the first half of this book I would have said that Marr did a great job taking that simple sentence and making it her own. I loved the historian writer and actress in the period piece based off her book set up. There were a lot of clever details that made me want to keep reading, but I really felt like the last 1/3 just dragged. It seemed like they had the same miscommunication multiple times and it could have been 20 pages shorter if there had only been, say three or maybe five "Addie deserves someone better, who can giver her everything she wants" and it would have kept the pace moving better.

More like 4.5 stars but rounded up for Goodreads since it was overall a good reading experience. The characters Toni and Addie are both distinct and you will find yourself rooting for their romance. I have just a couple quibbles. I felt the chemistry in some of the sexy scenes could have been stronger, I found myself starting to skim them a little. Additionally, the plot is a little wobbly, and a lot is balanced rather precariously on some anxieties from Toni that don't feel well founded. Like, I get where they're coming from and what the intentions were, but in a way they felt unrealistic enough that it seems like the author was grasping for something to keep the characters apart. But these quibbles are minor enough in the arc of the story and characters that I think many will still really enjoy it, as I did!